Atlantic City’s Needle Problem
Did you know that Atlantic City’s needle exchange is the biggest in New Jersey? The program, operated by the South Jersey Aids Alliance from a site on Tennessee Avenue, is also the oldest in the state but it has come under fire as business owners in the tourism district complain about used needles in the area. We dug into some possible solutions to the city’s needle-disposal problem by looking at how other places have managed their needle exchanges. One of the biggest problems is the sheer scale of Atlantic City’s exchange. Last year more than 375,000 needles were handed out and only about half were returned. The South Jersey Aids Alliance is one of the biggest HIV Prevention organizations in the nation, in terms of the funding it receives from the federal government. CEO Carol Harney told us the organization plans to make needle recovery a priority. Read more via Route 40.
A Painted Lady butterfly, captured on camera in Cape May by Darleen Adamo (@darleenstamps on Instagram).
Sewage Leak
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority is working around the clock to repair a leaking sewage main on the west side of Bader Field. As a precaution, the NJDEP recommends suspending shellfish harvesting in the waterways of Risley Channel, Dock Thorofare, Whirlpool Channel, Shelter Island Bay and Lakes Bay North of the Margate Bridge. So far, water samples tested for elevated bacteria levels have come back within a normal range. You can follow updates via the ACUA site here.
In the rest of the day’s news, Wawa disputes a man’s claim he found maggots in a sandwich, parts of the Atlantic Club porte cochere have collapsed, a second horse in South Jersey has contracted a serious mosquito-borne disease, shots were fired at a Hamilton Township complex just a day after a fatal shooting, read about Haddonfield’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and Maria is brushing past. All that and more below:
Climate-Change And Clean-Energy To-Do List For Next Governor–Within his or her first 100 days, New Jersey’s next governor should undertake bold new steps to address climate change and significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, a diverse group of state leaders urged yesterday. The actions include incorporating climate-change impacts into state planning and rulemaking — a difference that would for the first time monetize the social cost of carbon. It is a tool clean-energy advocates and health experts have long argued is needed to more accurately assess the cost of fossil fuels and benefits from carbon-free energy. www.njspotlight.com
Why is the NJ Prison Population Shrinking?–The big house is getting smaller. Fewer people are going to prison in New Jersey these days and the numbers continue to drop, according to an analysis of state Department of Corrections data over the past five years. www.nj.com
Tired of Waiting for News, NJ Residents Look for Ways to Help Puerto Rico–Lydia Valencia has heard the stories out of Puerto Rico: Impassable streets, entire towns without running water and electricity, survivors crowding around the occasional active cell tower. www.app.com
South Jersey Clergyman Says His Anti-Hate Messages Got Him Hate–Rev. Ryan Paetzold came to municipal court in Evesham Township Wednesday morning hoping to finally come face to face with the man who he alleges tried to intimidate him with threatening Online posts for taking “a stand against hate.” www.philly.com
Pinelands Communities May Add to Critical Lands Database–The Pinelands Municipal Council met Tuesday night to hear about the “NJ Lands Blueprint Project,” a Geographic Information Systems tool for land use and preservation. www.pressofatlanticcity.com
Worker Injured After Sign Falls on Atlantic City Expressway–A construction worker was injured after a road sign fell on the Atlantic City Expressway on Tuesday morning. The sign fell just before 9 am in the westbound lanes near mile marker 19 in Hamilton Township, Atlantic County. 6abc.com